Playa Santana
Tola, Rivas, Nicaragua
Sports: Surfing
Best time to go: March–November
Playa Santana is a beach on the Pacific coast of Rivas, just south of Popoyo and Guasacate, between rocky headlands. It is one of the most consistent beach breaks in the area and picks up a lot of swell.
South and south-west swells arrive mostly from March to November, and the beach turns them into A-frame peaks over a bottom of sand with rock patches. Easterly and north-easterly trade winds blowing across Lake Nicaragua are offshore on many days, especially in the dry season from November to April, while the rainy season brings bigger swells and more variable winds. The waves suit intermediate and advanced surfers; small days are more manageable for improving surfers. It is usually less crowded than the main reef at Popoyo, though more people come as the area develops. Rocks lie at the edges of the beach and near some peaks. There is little or no lifeguard cover, and rip currents can be strong on bigger days. The water is warm, though offshore winds can bring cooler water in the dry season.
Spots near Playa Santana
- Popoyo (2 km)
- Playa Colorado (9 km)
- Playa Maderas (29 km)
- Bahía Salinas (65 km)
- Ollie's Point – Potrero Grande (76 km)
- Witch's Rock – Playa Naranjo (88 km)
- Playa Grande – Tamarindo (128 km)
- Tamarindo (132 km)